The Phoenix Clan
“Master the elements and be reborn.” The Phoenix’s flame burned brightest in Shiba, the wisest and most humble of the fallen Kami. While his siblings sought to secure their legacy and civilize the lands, Shiba sought knowledge and harmony. In the fledgling Empire’s darkest hour, Shiba and the Little Teacher, Shinsei, entreated the priest Isawa and his tribe to join them in fighting the forces of the Shadowlands. While Isawa saw their wisdom, he would not surrender his tribe to the rule of the Kami. When he refused, Shiba bent his knee, swearing fealty and pledging that if the tribe joined the Empire, Shiba’s line would forever serve Isawa’s. With this humble gesture, Shiba established the Phoenix’s deferential traditions and founded a clan in which warriors and priests could exist side by side. The Phoenix Clan follows Shiba’s example to this day. Guided by the wisdom of the Council of Elemental Masters, the clan’s members tend to the spirits of the land and serve their lords as priests and spiritual advisors. The Phoenix maintain shrines throughout the Empire, teach the mysteries of the Tao, and preserve the harmony between mortals and gods.Legend of the Five Rings - The Card Game - Learn to Play, page 26 The Kami Shiba and the priest Isawa were very different sorts of leaders, one humble and the other prideful, one calm in his wisdom and the other fierce in his brilliance. As such, people expect members of the Phoenix Clan to be calm, thoughtful, and scholarly—but also passionate, and sometimes even arrogant due to the vast knowledge their clan maintains. Both Shiba and Isawa were deeply spiritual; this bond has defined the Phoenix Clan since its earliest days, and people still expect members of the Phoenix Clan to be more concerned with cosmic problems than with matters mundane.Legend of the Five Rings 5th Edition, page 46 The Phoenix Clan Families The Asako Family The Asako are a quiet family, viewed as being content to follow their scholarly and philosophical pursuits while the Isawa drive the goals of the Phoenix. The Asako prize knowledge, but they prize wisdom even more, and they use their studies to advance their spiritual evolution as well as their political agendas. The Asako serve as courtiers for the Phoenix, and they are much in demand as court scholars and tutors across the Empire.Legend of the Five Rings 5th Edition, page 53 The Isawa Family The Elemental Masters who sit on the Council of Five are the true rulers of the Phoenix, and these masters are almost always drawn from the Isawa. As one of the oldest shugenja families in the Empire, the Isawa have had centuries to learn to commune with the spirits and the most effective ways to request their blessings. Some might confuse authority with arrogance, but at heart, they are pious and dutiful, devoted to ensuring harmony and balance. The Kaito Family The small Kaito family has been given the task of safeguarding the many shrines scattered across the Phoenix holdings, from small altars sheltered by a single tree to massive sanctuaries. To fulfill their responsibilities, the Kaito have mastered the use of charmed arrows and prayers to protect the shrines from spiritual foes, and practical archery to fend off more mortal dangers. The Kaito are rarely seen outside the Phoenix lands, as they have so many tasks within, but they occasionally make pilgrimages to visit other shrines. The Shiba Family The Shiba family descends from the Kami Shiba and provides the Phoenix with a champion, but it bent the knee to the Isawa family early in its history and has dutifully served it ever since. The Shiba focus on keeping the Phoenix Clan safe and rely first and foremost on diplomacy before resorting to force. They are expected to be learned in scholarly ways as well as in the warrior arts, and they understand the shugenja they serve better than do most bushi families. The Phoenix Clan Schools The following is a list of the Phoenix Clan Schools released so far in the 5th edition of the Legend of 5 Rings RPG. * Asako Loremaster School Courtier * Isawa Elementalist School Shugenja * Kaito Shrine Keeper School Monk * Shiba Guardian School Courtier Category:The Great Clans